This blog is a collection on my ramblings on Economics. I plan to write on current economic issues, recent research (sometimes mine, but more often others’), and issues of interest to economists. As I am writing from Turkey, I will try to focus more on the Turkish economy. While I will write in English, I will refer to articles in Turkish and might occasionally invite a guest blogger to write in Turkish. So, apologies for the semi-bilingual nature of the blog if you do not speak Turkish...

Monday, May 31, 2010

I did my monthly stint with Konda last week, and although I am not allowed to disclose my results, I can tell you what I did:

First, I continued with my calculation of the unemployment rate, but I also had the first chance to compare the Konda unemployment rates to the official survey data. And although the numbers are unsurprisingly different, they are surprisingly consistent. Having said that, I should add that the data is not really consistent with May premilinary indicators from CBT business tendency survey such as capacity utilization and real sector confidence, which were hinting at a slowdown at the pace of recovery.

Second, this month's theme being rule of law, I looked at the determinants of the perceptions of rule of law at the very micro level; for example the relationship with being religious, or Kurdish or Alevite. No surprises there, the results would have been guessed by anyone living in this country for more than a month.

Finally, as there were a couple of questions on Cyprus on the survey (due to the recent elections there), I looked at the effect of Turkish aid and credit on the Cypriot economy- just basic number crunching, nothing fancy.

This is all I can say about my work there, but if you'd like to find out more, feel free to contact them.